The new iPad is already making an impression on the Web, at least according to ad network Chitika.

Monitoring ad impressions triggered by all the iPads seen on its network, Chitika found that the new iPad is scooping up a hefty five percent. The company's real-time tracker page provides an ongoing glimpse into how many new iPads are popping up on its network, which typically sees hundreds of millions of impressions per week among all mobile devices.

The data specifically looks at the percentage of iPad impressions over the past 12 hours based just in the United States. Chitika is able to pick out the new iPad from its two predecessors by analyzing the user agent string and the tablet's pixel density.

Five percent seems like a promising number for a brand new product, but remember that Chitika isn't tracking overall market share but rather how many iPads are seen just on its own network. Buyers of the latest iPad are also more likely to hop online initially just to configure their new tablet. So it'll be interesting to see where the percentage goes from here and just how quickly it moves.

Whether Apple made sure to stock more than enough tablets to meet demand, or demand wasn't quite as high as anticipated is unknown. But the lack of a sell-out doesn't mean sales weren't brisk, even for Apple. So odds are the company will still show robust demand for its latest tablet once the results are in.

About the author

Journalist, software trainer, and Web developer Lance Whitney writes columns and reviews for CNET, Computer Shopper, Microsoft TechNet, and other technology sites. His first book, "Windows 8 Five Minutes at a Time," was published by Wiley & Sons in November 2012.
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